Fostering creative businesses

The European designation of ‘Creative Town’ was bestowed on Huddersfield for a very good reason, and not just for being the venue for Europe's biggest contemporary music festival.

The town has a great reputation for nurturing creative businesses, many of which have gone on to international acclaim – such as Attik and Propaganda.

Since Huddersfield's Media Centre opened in 1995, it has fostered a growing community of digital, media and creative industries, while expanding its network across several new buildings. Today centre network has a combined tenant turnover of £12m and is home to a range of innovative companies, from Common Agency who specialise in iPhone apps to Varsity Media Group who develop next generation software for wireless devices. Testament to the town’s creativity, the national Creative Industries Development Agency (CIDA) has also chosen to make its home here.

Thanks in part to the University of Huddersfield’s strong Computer Games Programming department, the region is now home to many respected, gaming development companies, including Creative North, Team 17 and Gamer Republic.

Nearby Batley School of Art & Design (now part of Kirklees College) meanwhile, has a nationally-recognised reputation in the field of art and design, nurturing local creative talent.

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